


After Battle Thrills

by SacredMorningStar



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Battle, F/M, Injury, Loyalty, Spoilers for Season 5, injured leg, season 5, thrills
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-18 00:17:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13670325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SacredMorningStar/pseuds/SacredMorningStar
Summary: When the reader followed the brothers to England in reality she followed one to protect him. She had gone to fight for Ivar, to follow the man who had always inspired her but why would he know who she was and be asking for her after their fight?





	After Battle Thrills

The sounds of battle echoed around (Y/N) as she felt her axe sink into yet another Saxon warrior that came charging at her. She watched how Ivar’s plan seemed to fall exactly as he predicted, how the Saxons made themselves easy targets by using the spot they had kept weak and had been amazed by how easy it was thanks to his tactics. She had always been fascinated by Ivar, seeing the strength and his daily battle to just be equal to his brothers, but she had never had the confidence to approach him. That fascination had changed to adoration as she had joined the quest for revenge, but she didn’t feel like she could tell him; his position putting him far beyond her reach in her eyes.

The battle was a thrill, the adrenaline pumping through her veins giving her a high, as she rushed through the streets fighting against the Saxons that were invading the city trying to take it back off them. She had taken out many of the soldiers, fighting her hardest as she watched Saxon after Saxon fall to their axes, to their shields, to their warriors and it was amazing to see Ivar’s plan unfold perfectly. They had found the ‘weakness’ in the walls, using it to slip in, and within moments the fight had been in the Viking’s hands. It had seemed the Saxons had underestimated the Viking’s skill and that had been their downfall. (Y/N) hadn’t expected Ivar to come down from the walls, used to seeing him up on the walls, but as she moved through the streets, taking out any Saxon in her way, she could hear cart wheels rattling against the cobblestone streets. She followed the sound, fearing just what Ivar was planning, and was stopped by Ubbe as she tried to move to protect him. He was bloody, screaming at the Saxons in their own language, clearly intimidating the soldiers who were unsure how to act. The tension built, being so think it could be cut with a knife, until everything erupted into a violent fight. She rushed through the crowd to be in front of Ivar to protect him from anyone who wanted to target him and could hear him excitedly shouting and cheering being her; almost like a wild animal. She fought hard, seeing many of the Saxons look to target him, and had managed to fight off most of them avoiding injury; only to feel a blade slice her leg. Rage filled her at the injury and it seemed her angry yell drew a pair of vibrant blue eyes to her. She let her rage take over for a moment, let her instincts guide her in the fight, fought against the pain in her leg as she took out the soldiers around her.

Ivar watched her with fascination as the woman before him took out soldier after soldier as they charged at her. He was stunned by her rage, by her skills, by the way she fought to stay in front of him and keep him defended. He watched her a moment longer before seeing a man ride in on horseback and call out to inspire the men around him. He was clearly on the side of the Saxons and it was yet another skilled warrior he wanted to face on the battlefield and test his skills. As the fight progressed it was getting clearer that the Saxons were losing, and they called for a retreat, the soldiers running out through the open entrance, leaving (Y/N) worn out but still with an adrenaline high. Her body was shaking, and it seemed the pain she had been ignoring rushed at her full force. She couldn’t stay on her leg much longer, the slice into her leg becoming too painful, and she dropped to the floor as pain rushed her. She finally noticed the pair of blue eyes focusing on her as she stared at the battlefield around her and froze in his gaze unsure of what it meant. He was brought his crutches while she was taken to a medic tent where the deep gash in her leg was tended to.

Her leg hurt, the hot blade used to seal the wound in her leg making the pain worse for a moment, but she fought through it and let it be tended to before she headed to one of the nearby homes where friends of her were celebrating. She needed a long drink of mead to take the edge off the pain and something to distract her from it. She had been glad for the drink and how close the home had been as she managed to take the burn off her injury quickly. She cheered and toasted and celebrated the victory with those she had trained with before getting here and couldn’t help her mind going back to Ivar’s eyes watching her on the battlefield. She had tried to find something to take her mind off him, to find someone else to think about, but everything kept going back to the youngest Lothbrok son. She had been enjoying the celebration with her friends, drinking and eating until they were content, until one of Ivar’s guards intruded upon the celebration asking for (Y/N) to follow him as Ivar wanted to see her.

She hadn’t known why he wanted to see her, she hoped it wasn’t to punish her, and as she limped through the streets her doubt began to grow. She feared just what the ruthless tactician had planned for her and when she was taken into the church to face him she felt her stomach flip and twist into knots. He was sat at the head of the church, the strange table seemingly becoming his favourite spot, and he smiled brightly when he saw her come closer. He had been impressed by her skills and her courage in battle but they both knew she could do better; he just wanted to know more about her. He watched the way her eyes flicked around the room, lingering on him anxiously, as she was brought before him. He watched as she finally seemed to relax and held his gaze as the man who had brought her there stepped away to drink with the other guards. It was clear she was new to the battlefield, he’d never seen her fighting or raiding before, but when she realised he wasn’t angry with her she was willing to hold his gaze; fear fading from her eyes at his smile towards her.

“Prince Ivar, you asked for me? I hope I haven’t done anything to anger you.” She stood proud as she spoke but clearly, she was unsure of herself.

 “Of course not, why would you have angered me? In fact, it is the opposite, I saw you out there, fighting wildly and letting your instincts tell you what to do. You were truly incredible out there but, seeing you fighting made me wonder something, what brought you here? I have never seen you go on raids before and I’m honestly surprised. You’re skilled out there, more talented than warriors who have been raiding for years, so whatever stopped you before clearly doesn’t now.” Ivar waved for her to take a seat, to try and get her to relax more, and smiled kindly to her.

“It was more the reason I didn’t go on raids was because I never felt ready. I never felt like I was strong enough to raid but, seeing you join and the number of ships and warriors, I knew I couldn’t hold myself back any more.” She had pulled a chair close, a drink brought to her, and sat down looking up at him as she spoke. “I grew up watching you fighting every day, saw you fighting just to be equal with your brothers, it inspired me to become a shield maiden, and I swore I would follow you wherever you went. I refused to be left behind, I didn’t want to watch you go off on your adventures like your father and be left behind. My brother or sister would have had the farm, they’re both older, so I worked to be a shield maiden.”

Hearing her honesty, hearing her speak of how he had inspired her, surprised him and fascinated him. He hadn’t thought he would ever be anyone’s reason to fight but he couldn’t help the smile that raised the corner of his lips at the thought. He watched her eyes for any sign of deception, but he was glad to see that none seemed to show in her eyes. She held his gaze firm and he invited her up to sit next to him to make it easier to talk. She was becoming more and more interesting to him the more they spoke, and he couldn’t help wanting to know more.

“I’ve watched you for years, seeing the way you fought, and I knew the gods had something great planned for you.” She sat down close to him seeing his child-like excitement. “You’re different to every other warrior out there, being different makes you unique and special, you survived when others couldn’t. The gods have something planned and I didn’t want to be left behind. I wanted to see you prove how great you are.” She muttered the last bit with her head down a little. “You’ve always been stronger than your brothers, always been a stronger man, at least to me anyway.”

Suddenly, she realised just how honest she’d been, her thoughts seemingly running out her mouth, and she felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment at the confession. She didn’t know how the youngest brother would react to her confession and she couldn’t bare to look at him in case he rejected her or believed she was lying to him. She could hear him moving, saw him lean forwards out the corner of her eyes, feared he was going to mock her or scorn her for thinking the way she did or maybe even think it a joke and be angry with her; especially after what Sigurd had said. She would understand he would think that and she wouldn’t blame him for that but she knew it would hurt to be rejected in such a way. She watched the men in the hall seemingly pause and look over, noticing the change in Ivar’s behaviour, and she felt that dread only grow worse. Those bright blue eyes seemed to shine as he looked at her and she finally gave in to his attention seeking.

“I should hope this is not some nonsense cooked up by my brothers. I rather enjoyed watching you fight today, you were rather impressive, and I had thought to maybe add you to my guard division. I could do with someone like you by my side, someone I can clearly trust, and you can maybe learn a little more so next time they cannot touch you.” His voice was playful and teasing and she couldn’t help staring at him stunned, surprised and at awe.

All she had ever wanted to fight by his side and now he was being asked, by him, to stay beside him. She doubted he would know how much it meant to her, to have him ask her to be loyal and protect him, but she wondered if her eager answer gave her away.


End file.
